A story which came about because I need more Mekakucity Actors Coffee Shop AU's and because Shintaro x (Haru/Kuro/Kono) will forever be my life blood that I just can get enough of.

At the ripe age of nineteen and no hope insight, Shintaro Kisaragi hated his life. Well maybe not his life persay, but he definitely hated his job. Mekakushi Dan was a small cafe squeezed between a row of casual shops that was visited frequently by young college students. Not Shintaro's first choice when it came to employment. He much rather enjoyed the isolation of his room staring blankly at the lit computer screen as he enjoyed his drug of choice, soda. Instead, he was stuck here most days of the week, trying to not throw hot coffee on half the customers that came through. What's worse was he was on cash register duty, practically forcing him into communication with these...people. Working in the back was much better in his opinion, because at least while he still had to interact with his fellow co-workers they were tolerable at least.

Shintaro sighed as he watched the seconds tick by, just another Monday for him. He leaned over the counter and took out his cell phone. Luckily, Kido wasn't around to get unto him about it and the cafe was pretty empty at the moment. He fumbled around on his phone, looking through his pictures. For some odd reason Shintaro found a lot of pictures of…..cats? They looked liked strays. Tono, his pet rabbit, also showed up quite a bit, yet he didn't remember ever taking these.

'What-...oh Konoha' he thought.

Konoha, Mekakushi Dan member number eight, his quote on quote "best friend". Well he couldn't deny they were pretty good friends all in all. Konoha was always so odd in a way, he got excited and curious over the most mundane of things. He also dressed as if he was right out of a video game, quite eye catching yet still overly bizarre. It was almost as if he was a child in a hulking giants body. Anyway, Shintaro had remembered lending his phone to Konoha a number of times this past week. He probably took all these pictures during that time.

Shintaro stopped on one picture in particular. It was Konoha holding one of the cats close to his chest as he smiled lazily at the camera. The sun had struck Konoha in just the perfect spot that displayed his pale yet soft white hair and pinkish eyes. Shintaro gave a light-hearted smile of his own from just looking t the picture.

"Eh, uhm Shintaro?," a quiet voice said from in front of him.

Shintaro looked up from his hunched over position to see a petite white haired girl in front of him. He gasped almost dropping his phone over the counter.

"E-eh? Mary!? When'd you get there?," Shintarou cried.

Mary, Mekakushi Dan member number four. She was a bit of a shy and gentle girl ( a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of the Dan in Shintaro's opinion). Quite the clumsy girl though. Since the time she'd been working at the cafe she'd spilled what seemed like thousands of drinks, sometimes on the customer. It was a forgivable offense, but the Dan agreed she was better simply behind the cash register or selling her hand made flowers to the customers. Shintaro had to admit, the way she appeared out of no where reminded him a lot of Kido. That girl always seemed to disappear and reappear whenever she pleased.

"I've been here for awhile, but you were just smiling at your phone," Mary said," Kido sent me to take over register duty~"

"Hm? Oh by all means relieve me of my servitude," Shintaro said pocketing his phone.

He left his position at the cash register to untie his apron. His was specifically red. Along with member numbers they also had certain colors. It almost felt as if they were suppose to be some discount version of power rangers. He passed Mary as she put on her own apron. Her's was pink and decorated with assorted pins and ended with frills. Oddly enough, Shintaro felt as if something were off today. Perhaps he'd forgotten something?

Shintaro exited from behind the counter and made a beeline to the bathrooms. Not to actually go to the bathrooms per say, but some time ago Kano had convinced Kido to allow a small vending machine next to the restrooms. It was stocked with all sorts of soda's, Shintaro's natural life liquid. His younger sister, Momo, would worry that some days his blood would just become carbonated and Shintarou himself would turn into Soda.

He heard the ring of a shrill bell, signaling the arrival of another customer (or perhaps another member, but none were scheduled to come in around now). Shintarou paid no heed at the moment in favor of getting a can of his sugary addiction.

In the background, Mary was greeting the customer in her naturally friendly manner. Shintarou couldn't believe his luck that the moment he switches with Mary is when a customer finally comes in. He started his way back to the front, soda in hand; He liked to spend his breaks longing around in the chairs if the Dan wasn't so busy.

"O-oh...uhm is Shintaro not working today?," asked the new customer seemingly disappointed.

Shintarou looked to get a good peek at the customer and suddenly he remembered what was missing from his average Monday at work. Haruka Kokonose, Shintaro's most devout customer at the Mekakushi Dan. The tall boy was standing in front of the cash register, his black hair looking quite disheveled as he adjusted the giant sketch book under his arm. Every Monday and Wensday, without fail Shintaro had to add, Haruka set aside time to see Shintarou during his work hours. They'd chat for an hour or two through Shintaro's break. At first, they started talking on a whim. Haruka had came in and ordered some of the freshly made cookies (the ones the Shintaro had to warily confesse to making himself). Haruka proceeded to compliment him throughout his stay and promised to come back for more with a wide and airy smile taped on his face. It'd taken some time, but Shintaro found himself enjoying Haruka's company. Sometimes he'd watch as Haruka sat at one of the end tables and sketched looking up at Shintaro every once in awhile.

"Actually, you just missed him," Mary explained with a wave," but he isn't gone so no worries"

Mary pointed over to Shintaro as he emerged to the front of the cafe. Haruka's face turned a whole one-eighty as he smiled happily at Shintaro.

"Shin! I'm sorry I was running a bit late today," Haruka apologized.

"Don't have to apologize," Shintarou assured.

He took a seat at a nearby table as Haruka joined him. The other laid his sketchbook on the table. This one looked new as he didn't have the usual creases of marked pages as the last one. Haruka was quite the sickly kid, but he could sure had a talent in the arts. Skimming through the other's drawings was always entertaining at least even as Haruka fidgeted in his seat, oozing with obvious embarrassment.

"That one looks new, can I see?," Shintarou asked lazily pointing to the sketchbook.

"Of course," Haruka obliged.

Shintarou grabbed for the sketchbook, setting it in his lap. He thumbed through the first few pages; they were basic scenery sketches that were nice, just Shintaro didn't appreciate the world outside his computer as much as some others. He stopped at the fifth page. Unlike the others this one obviously had time and effort put in. It was of a girl, Takane or Ene as she rather be called. Shintaro had quite the love hate relationship with the other. She worked at the Dan as well, Mekakuashi member number six, as their mascot. She'd dress up in a blue wig and complete a giant blue jacket and black socks that ended at her mid thigh making her look like a cyber girl of sorts. Mascot or normally dressed she was still a pain in Shintaro's ass.

In the drawing, Haruka had drawn her in her mascot get up. She was bending back, like she was floating in a digital cyberspace. Blue transparent windows popped up around her. Oddly enough, Haruka hadn't drawn her feet, choosing to instead pixelate the bottom part of her legs. Shintarou was in awe (the Dan should really hire him for promotional art sometime). Haruka looked over to see which page his friend was on. He smiled at Takane's picture. They'd been friends forever and it only seemed fair to draw her mascot form she was so fond of. It had been Takane who led him to the cafe to the first place, leading him to Shintaro. Haruka blushed a bit at the thought.

Shintaro turned to the next page, this one just as amazing as the last. Surprisingly, this one was….of him? It was a full body picture of a black haired boy sitting with a passive look etched across his face. Headphones were plugged in with an MP3 player sitting in his lap. The similarities were uncanny from the messy bed hair, to the bags under his eyes, to his red jacket. Only difference was his eyes were a stunning red.

" Haruka...wow," he said astonished.

Haruka was blushing lightly as his smile arched wider. He always felt a flutter in his chest when Shintaro would compliment him. If he were honest with Shintaro, he'd tell him that was only the newest of his drawings featuring Shintaro. Everytime he went to sit at the coffee shop and draw, it was more or likely sketching Shintaro.

From her spot at the cash register, Mary was giggling faintly to herself. Aw the wonderful world of young love was adorable.

Okay so maybe Shintaro's job at the cafe wasn't so bad.

On Tuesdays the Dan had a steady influx of customers throughout the day. Shintaro couldn't say he liked it, but he couldn't say it was the worst thing either. At the moment, Shintaro was behind the counter fixing up a few orders Mary was giving him.

'Decaf Coffee with a cheese bagel, chocolate chip frappuccino no whip cream, two oatmeal cookies' Shintaro listed off in his head.

He moved slowly and mindlessly like a robot. Eventually, he got the orders out to their designated customers with a blank face. His sister told him over and over how he had to 'serve with a smile' as she said. The only customer Shintaro even half smiled for was Haruka and like hell he had the energy to smile all day as he handing college students their sugary concoctions.

A ring from the door signaled what should have been more customers, yet instead brought for a tall white haired boy and a sandy brown haired boy. It seemed Konoha and Hibiya had arrived. Konoha worked with Shintarou on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and sometimes Sundays (normally Shintaro had Sundays off, but there was still the rare occasion). He was a nice break from some of the crazies he was also forced to work with. The younger boy, Hibiya, didn't actually work at the Mekakushi Dan; he was too young for that. He did stick around enough to be considered a member though and it didn't help that he could school everyone in the Dan when it came to cooking.

Konoha held a bag in his hand. The tall boy made a beeline for Shintaro the moment he laid eyes on the other and offered his bag up to Shintaro's face. Shintarou furrowed his eyebrows as he hesitantly took the bag from Konoha.

"Hibiya and I went shopping….Hibiya got something for Hiyori...so I thought I'd give something for you too," Konoha explained.

Shintaro didn't even want to attempt to tell Konoha that Hibiya only got that Hiyori girl a present because he had a crush on her. Sometimes Shintaro wondered if Konoha even knew what a crush was. Fishing through the back Shintaro brought out two pin buttons. One had the face of a yellow triceratops and the other had a red backdrop with a cutified (was that a word really?) version of a soda can.

"...I thought you might like them," Konoha said playing with the ends of his ridiculously long shirt. Hibiya had been so nervous when picking out a gift for Hiyori. From what Konoha had heard he messed up on the gifts a few times before already. He hoped Shintarou liked his gifts though.

"They're….nice thank you Konoha," Shintaro said after a few seconds of silence.

Shintaro was greeted with Konoha's practically glowing face. It seemed his small acceptance of the gift meant more to the tall boy than he previously thought.

"Does that mean Shintaro will go on a date with me now?"

Yes, it meant much more to Konoha than he initially tho-

What?

Shintaro peered up at taller boy whose eyes were now overflowing with hope and excitement. Shintaro's narrowing eyes on the other hand were overflowing with disbelief and a smidge of surprise.

"...Konoha, assuming I clean out my ears on a regular basis-which I do thank you very much- did you just ask me out on a date?," Shintaro asked

Konoha simply nodded his head.

"Great, great uhm just one question. Why?," Shintaro asked almost exasperated.

"Hibiya said if he found the right gift that Hiyori would go on a date with him. Since you liked my gift, doesn't that mean we need to go on a date now?," Konoha tilted his head to the side.

"Konoha do you even know what a date is?!," Shintaro yelped.

"It's where two people go on an outing….or some place fun right Shintaro? I like to do fun things with you," Konoha explained with a nod.

Shintaro gave a sigh of relief. So Konoha wasn't actually asking him on a legitimate date?

"So can we go on a date?," Konoha repeated innocently.

Shintaro huffed with a small smile. It's not like Konoha knew the implications of what a date was and with Konoha looking at him like that there was no way he was getting out of this conversation with a stern 'no'.

"You know what? Okay," Shintaro agreed," I have this Sunday off, warning that it'll probably take an hour just to get me up"

"That's okay," Konoha nodded furiously," I'll find us something to do….it will be fun"

"Don't work yourself up so much. Doesn't have to be special, it's just-," Shintaro stopped in mid-sentence as he was pulled into a bone crushing hug.

Had to give props to Konoha for looking so childish, yet also being the strongest person he knew. He laughed awkwardly as he tried to free himself from the white haired giant.

"Konohaaa," he groaned into the giants oddly cut white shirt.

So maybe Shintaro's job was actually sort of fun.

Saturdays were always something Shintaro used to look forward to on a weekly basis. It meant a break from school, break from work, a break from socializing, really just a break from everything. Nowadays, Shintaro though of Saturdays in a vastly different light. Saturdays were teeth grinding personal hells that Shintaro had to fight tooth and nail to get through it. Why such a harsh view on Saturday one may ask?

Kuroha, that's why.

But who's Kuroha? They continue to cry.

Kuroha is a snake in human disguise and Shintaro's resident stalker. Shintaro swore the guy came in every Saturday when they were at their busiest and pestered him until closing. He wouldn't be surprised if the man had a map of his house and list of his schedule at this point.

"So Shin, almost done with my order?," Kuroha's annoyingly smug voice asked.

Shintaro grumpled as he fixed Kuroha's usual - black coffee served with a handful of Shintaro's assorted cookies. Another thing about the black haired asshole; He'd only let Shintaro prepare and take his order instead of anyone else. Then he'd wait at the counter watching Shintaro shift around as he prepared his order. Shintaro had refused many a time before, but Kido insister Kuroha was a paying customer who tipped quite well ( twenty dollar bills were considered a 'modest' tip from him) no matter how obnoxious or overall creepy he was.

"Almost and no a moment too soon. The sooner this is done, the sooner you can be out of my damn face," Shintaro spat out.

Kuroha's lips twisted into an amused smirk of sorts.

"Oh Shin, you know I'd never leave you so early. What better way to spend my nights than watching you and eating your food?...if only it wasn't at such a public place," Kuroha said.

Shintaro shivered as Kuroha continued to stare at him with those snake-like yellow eyes.

Though he felt hopeful, Shintaro knew just handing the man's order over wasn't going to coerce him into leaving anything soon.

'Couldn't hurt to hope, maybe I'll get lucky tonight and-'

"As perfect as ever Shintaro. You know you've been making my orders so diligently for the last few months yet still refuse to go out with me even though we both know you're free tomorrow and are going to do nothing but sit in front of that stupid computer"

'Ah well hope is broken'

"Tough luck," Shintaro snorted," already have a date"

Shintaro watched as Kuroha's smirk faltered and looked as if he'd been slapped in the face for a split second, yet he quickly recomposed himself back to his coy smirk.

"Of course you joke," Kuroha said with a hum,"someone asking you out, this week of all weeks?"

"...think someone asking me out is a joke….yet here you are," Shintaro mumbled under his breath.

Kuroha picked up the red velvet cookie and took a large bit out of the round sugared concoction. He almost seemed more at ease; as if he'd convinced himself that Shintaro was really joking.

"I'm not playing around you know, I'm serious," Shintaro said.

He thought that perhaps if he got Kuroha to realized he was going a date - though he still wouldn't call his and Konoha's outing a 'date' just yet- the other would back off. It'd been three grueling months already with Kuroha around. If Shintaro played up Konoha's relationship just a bit more then bye bye uncomfortable afternoons spent listening to a snake try to seduce him in ways that makes him shudder rather than swoon.

"Oh really?," Kuroha raised a fine eyebrow," and who would be this unlucky guy?"

"Knock it off with the unlucky guy stuff," Shintaro groaned,"...anyway his name is Konoha".

Kuroha's smirk only stretched further until Shintaro could hear the low hum of the familiar chuckle. Shintaro's eyes furrowed at the laugh; what did the snake find humorous in that at all?

"Come on Shin, Konoha really? You couldn't think of a better name for your fake date?," Kuroha laughed," but I am flattered that you're so infatuated with me you'd pick a name so closest to mine".

Oh. oh. God why did Konoha and Kuroha have to have such close sounding names? In fact - now that Shintaro was thinking about it too- they looked eerily similar to each other too. Shintaro could still remember the first time he met Kuroha and thought he was Konoha trying out a new hair color.

"N-no it's not like that at all! Konoha is real!," Shintaro insisted.

"Prove it," Kuroha said simply.

Shintaro was about to retort, but instead fell into an awkward silence. He did have pictures of Konoha, though Shintaro was certain Kuroha would say "No fair, that could be a picture of anyone" and go on with annoyingly smirking at him. Literally unless Konoha, was sitting in his lap right now would Shintaro have enough 'real' proof for Kuroha.

Before Kuroha could say knew it though Shintaro felt a buzzing in his coat pocket and then the loud melody of the ever so classical "Nyan Cat" song. Great, someone must have messed with his ringtones this week because no place in Shintaro's sane mind would he let him have that song anywhere in his phone. Maybe he should just stop lending his phone out.

He took out the phone, much to Kuroha's annoyance, to see who was calling. Low and behold Konoha's name flashed back to him on the screen.

'Thank the Soda Gods for good timing' Shintaro sighed.

He pressed the green accept button and quickly turned the phone on speaker mode so Kuroha could hear. No way the snake was denying anything after this.

"Konoha?," Shintaro said causing Kuroha to perk up.

" Ah Shintaro, " Konoha's voice greeted from the phone," I just wanted to ask you something about our date…"

Shintaro smiled straight at Kuroha as if to say "Check and mate". Kuroha scowled as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What about it?," Shintaro asked.

"I've been looking somewhere special for us to go and Hibiya said the best date is to go to the movies...so I got tickets and everything….is that okay?," Konoha's voice started to sound almost desperate by the end of the sentence as if he'd be heart broken if Shintaro didn't like it.

Honestly Shintaro couldn't help but be impressed about how far Konoha had planned. He was expecting Konoha to take him to some buffet (more so for Konoha's own pleasure rather than his own). Maybe he was wrong about how Konoha saw him…

"N-no, that sounds fine really. I'll see you tommorrow then," Shintaro quickly answered.

"Yes...Oh and Shintaro?," Konoha piqued up again just as Shintaro was reaching to end the call.

"Yeah?"

"Hibiya also said that on dates people normally hold hands and kiss…..does that mean I can kiss Shintaro?," Konoha asked in a heartbreakingly hopeful voice.

Shintaro couldn't even reply as it was that moment that Kuroha seemed to snap. With a less than amused look on his face he reach across the counter and took the phone from Shintaro.

"Hey-"

"Listen Konowhoever, don't think just because you're going on a date with him doesn't mean you can even touch Shin. He's mine and I'm doubt I'd feel a hint of sympathy for messing up your ugly mug if you did anything to him," Kuroha threatened before immediately hanging up.

After handing back his phone with his usual twenty dollar tip, Shintaro could only watch as Kuroha practically stomped off out of the Dan. Shintaro paid him no heed as he instead looked at his tip. At the corner of the bill was a tiny heart -not a real deal for Shintaro, but he had to wonder if Kuroha added this on the bill for him or if it was already there anyway.

Shintaro sighed as he slumped onto the counter with his head bumping against the cool wood.

'What have I gotten myself into? God I need a soda'